Ship Song or Last Song

 

My new WIP's working title is shipsong. 

Right now I have a little over 4400 words. There is a little snippet under Pages. You might want to check it out.

It is a sci-fi, but not the one I had plan to work on. 

Humans have span space, at least the systems 'close' to home/Terra. They have become a part of the Federation of Allied Systems which spans the known solar systems and encompasses many species. But they have not left all their old prejudices behind. On top of that another 'young' race seeks to rule the Federation or destroy it. The Ancient Ones are spoken of in whispers for they had all been decimated in a Great War and their tech forbidden, though sought by the Black Market and Human Universities.

A Salvager Captain has found a clue that may lead him to the Ancient Ones' homeworld. 

This is where the story begins.

What do you think?

It is more Star Wars than Star Trek. Dark with sarcastic humor.

 

Contest thought

 I want to do a contest. The prize would be a signed copy of one of my books and a beaded bookmark with a beaded bracelet which I made.

I make beaded bookmarks between book writing. Idle hands. 

I need a signature phrase to write in my books when I'm at a signing. No bland phrase like "Happy Reading" or "Best Wishes".  I want something you readers would like. 

My own phrase is bland (maim hara gaya hum or in English "I am Lost") as I always go blank when I pick up the pen to sign. So I decided to pick someone else's brain since mine seems to be zombified. 

Time-travel or dragon related phrases are bonuses.

Comment the phrase below. 

Two entries per person. 

Contest ends December 8th and winners will be announced by the 10th.

 If you are the winner I will PM you on Facebook to get your address to send the book and bling/swag.

Cover reveal take 3

 Raven Manor is still being looked over. But I plan to have it out by February or before. I'd like to publish it at Christmas but I might have to do more work on it.

This is the cover I'm going with now. 

I'm not sure what to classify this book as really because it has a bit of crime drama, paranormal mystery, and urban fantasy mixed together. 

Detective John Hanlan learns that some fairy tales are real--and deadly. Good and Evil are all in the eye of the beholder and Hanlan must see both sides if he is to survive in the new world revealed to him. 

When it comes out, please read it and review. Tell me what you would classify it as

I'm working on shipsong. I only got 3212 words so far.  I'm writing it in the style my dragon fantasy is in more than my sci-fi. Though the style is really a combination. I might write more about Ze'ev. There is much to know about her. 

Is that vague enough or should I give a mysterious laugh? :)

More about shipsong next week.

New blog

 I started a new book review/intro blog called Novel Reads. 

Most of the books will come from my TBR list which are ebooks that caught my attention through my Facebook feed. So a lot of them are Indie but some are traditionally published. I plan to read a book and then add it to the blog, giving it a rating, a brief, very brief summary, and the link on Amazon. As to grading the book, I will use stars.  I don't want to give spoilers but I won't sugar coat if part of the book makes me lower the star rating.

I read everything from true crime fiction to science fiction. However a large part are mystery and paranormal. 

I generally read about one book a week, depending on time and page allowances. If I have four hours of undisturbed time per day I can actually read a full book in two days.

The link to my review page is on this blog.

Next WIP

 I have four stories in the pipe. 

I had planned to work on Emnity, the Alliance book. But I ran across Shipsong, a story I had started with someone online a long time ago and never finished. At least I didn't.  

It hooked my attention again so that's what I'm going to be working on. Thus four stories in the pipe. It's a sci-fi with a bit of time travel and apocalypse thrown it. Working title--shipsong/officially--Mortal Song. At least for now.

I'm not working steadily on Mortal Song as Raven Manor may need some work done on it. Raven is getting edited and I'll see.  I have some more I can add if needs be. 

I've been catching up on my TBR list and re-read a favorite. Nothing like curling up with a good book and drinking your favorite beverage whether that's tea, coffee, or wine.

.

Fini

 Finished Raven Manor.

 47449 words. I could have written more but this was a good place to stop. The next stopping place would have been at least 20,000 words further.  Maybe more. 

 I had planned on three books but maybe two would be better. This book introduces the arc and I could continue on for a bit but I am unsure if I should . I need another perspective. 

This is just the first draft so I'll have an editor look at it and tell me what they think. I've stared at it so long I need a break. 

But for now I'm done.  I finished the first draft and I'm going to celebrate while the editor looks it over. Once I get it back I'll know more on what to do next. Rewrite or add more. Or just fix things here and there. 

Watching movies and reading books are on the agenda for celebration. I'm going to watch some favorite 'Tis the season  movies'--Lethal Weapon and Die Hard. It just isn't Christmas windup until Hans Gruber falls and Martin and Roger do their banter.  I'm going to read some of the ebooks on my TBR list on my phone. Curl up with a good book or movie and drink hot chocolate. Love the fall and Christmas seasons.

Do you have a movie(s) you watch this time of the year?

I read another article about pen names and book signing this last week. It said you should think about how you want to sign the book.  Once you decide you should practice signing so it is smooth when you do sign.  I've just been signing my regular signature. Perhaps I should change up. I'll think on it.

How do you sign your book?

Ruv halloween

 First--Happy All Saints' Day. Hope everyone had a good All Hallow's Eve.

Raven Manor is almost done. 44,707 words and counting. Tying up loose ends and introducing a new element before ending. Already have a basic title and idea for book 2 of this series. 

October has a special meaning to the Ruv. The changing of the season starts their new year. It is a legend holdover that is passed down through the generations. October is the last of their 'calendar' year and November the first of their year. They have adopted the human names for the months but keep to their own 'calendar'. So All Hallow's Eve is their New Years Eve and celebrated.

Their celebration is of course different in that they transform to their wolf form and congregate in packs and hunt. Who or what they hunt is up to the pack leader and the individual. The prey is hunted until midnight, then brought down. It has had to change a bit with the times but it has remained though the centuries vertially the same.